Nordic Aquafarms acquires additional land in Belfast

BY Staff

8/29/2018

Courtesy / Nordic Aquafarms

An artist's rendering of what Nordic Aquafarms' land-based salmon farm in Belfast will look like in a view looking south.

Nordic Aquafarms announced Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement with Belfast window manufacturer Mathews Brothers to purchase approximately 14 acres of land that adjoins the 40 acres that Nordic Aquafarms already has under contract with Belfast Water District as the site for its proposed land-based salmon farm.The purchase price was not disclosed. The $150 million first phase of the project has been proceeding through the permitting process, which includes reviews and permit approvals from state and federal agencies as well as additional local approvals.According to Nordic Aquafarms CEO Erik Heim, the primary motivation for purchasing the additional land is to provide larger buffers around the site while maintaining the company’s previously announced plans to construct a facility with an annual capacity in the range of 32,000 metric tons, to be built in phases over the next six-to-seven years.“The additional land will make this a better project, not a bigger one,” Heim said in a news release.Heim also noted:

Mounds with planted trees will surround the northern and eastern borders of the additional property as a buffer. The entire facility is to be buffered with trees.

The additional land enables an increase in the buffer zone between the project and the lower reservoir dam and the existing trails.

In addition to the land announcements, Nordic Aquafarms said that it will hold its first public meeting of the permitting process in late September. The date, time and location of the meeting for its Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, related to discharge, will be included in the company’s next newsletter, scheduled for next week. The meeting will be held in Belfast.At the meeting, Nordic Aquafarms will present residual discharge figures after treatment, assessments from U.S. scientific partners related to discharge and information about how the discharge is treated to achieve a high environmental standard. The event will be open to members of the public, who will have an opportunity to ask questions and to comment.Additional announcements related to permitting and hearings will be forthcoming in the next two months, as there are a number of permits to be filed and processed.The permitting process has been slightly delayed due to the inclusion of the new land, but is now moving forward quickly, the company stated.Heim said in the news release that Nordic Aquafarms “will continue to be completely transparent” in its communications as verified permitting documentation and data becomes available from its U.S. development consultants.